Bulldogs Slated to Finish Fourth in Ivy League Preseason Poll

Oct 22, 2008

Oct. 22, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Coming off of a fourth place finish in the Ivy League in 2007-08, and posting its first .500 record in the league in six seasons at 7-7, the Yale women's basketball team has been selected to claim fourth place once again in the Ivy League Preseason Poll. After winning the Ivy League title outright in 2006-07 and sharing the crown in 2007-08, the Harvard Crimson have once again been tabbed to win the Ivy in 2008-09, as voted on by the media and women's basketball sports information directors of the Ancient Eight. Harvard notched 128 total points and 10 of 17 first place votes.

Dartmouth, who along with Harvard and Cornell shared the Ivy title at 11-3 last season, was slotted to place second with 117 points and four first place votes. Big Red received the other three first place votes and 94 points overall to land in third place. Cornell will have an upward climb to stay on par with the other 2007-08 co-champions of the Ivy League, as Ivy League Player of the Year Jeomi Maduka has left the program to pursue track and field.

The Bulldogs are the first team behind the trio of 2007-08 champions in the poll, garnering 83 points. Yale returns four starters and eight total letterwinners for the upcoming season. 2007-08 first team All-Ivy player Melissa Colborne and All-Ivy All-Rookie selection Lindsey Williams both return for the Bulldogs. Senior guard Jamie Van Horne will captain the 2008-09 Yale squad.

The Bulldogs kick off the 2008-09 season with a trip to Worcester, Mass. on Nov. 15 to challenge Holy Cross. The second game of the season will be the home opener as Bucknell comes to the John J. Lee Amphitheater on Nov. 18. Yale's Ivy League slate begins at home on Jan. 16 against Brown.